


Fabric of Emotion

by dumbyx



Category: Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Crack, Crack Relationships, Other, Troll - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-20
Updated: 2019-06-09
Packaged: 2019-10-31 20:55:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17856809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dumbyx/pseuds/dumbyx
Summary: Vexen had seemingly gone through the impossible, having succumbed to darkness and essentially dying only to come back as what is called a "Nobody". Little does he know, things would only get weirder. As if losing your heart and somehow living without it wasn't strange enough, it seems that something else followed him into his new life.





	1. Who goes there?!

**Author's Note:**

> Just for fun and laughs. Started as an inside joke and it may have gone too far, but oh well! Enjoy!

What is reality? Some may say reality is simply 'what is real' or 'that of which can be observed', but does that truly answer the question? Truth be told, reality seems to be different for everyone, as everyone perceives the world around them differently. So that poses the question: Can reality truly be defined? If so, then where is the line drawn? Are there boundaries?

 

These are things Vexen often ponders, especially after the events that have transpired within the past several years. Many things that seemed impossible; things that Vexen's former self may have laughed off and deemed to be irrational and illogical, had happened to him and his peers. Why on earth would Vexen think one can lose their heart and still retain their original form as well as their sense of self? The multiple experiments that he and his fellow apprentices conducted in secret never led him to believe it was possible... yet, here he is. One might say that the occurrences dehydrated the man, furthering his seemingly unquenchable thirst for knowledge and answers.

 

After all... Vexen _is_ a scientist. Experiments are what he does, _yes._

 

Naturally, Vexen's role in Organization XIII was to do exactly as he did when he was whole: form hypothesis,  research, experiment, record his data, and adjust as needed. Often by his side was Zexion, a young man with the patience of a saint to put up with Vexen's constant nagging and bickering as well as a comparable thirst for knowledge, and Lexaeus, though to a lesser degree. Lexaeus was often sent on combat missions, as he was arguably the strongest member of the Organization, why have him stay back and be bossed around by the mad scientist? That's nonsensical.  
  
As per usual, Vexen was in his lab, looking over the many research notes and reports on the Replica Program. He and Zexion were so close to perfecting it, but it was still with it's flaws. Focused, he sat hunched over a desk, papers in one hand, the other hand balled into a fist and pressed firmly against his temple. The man's face contorted into various uncanny expressions as he read, the cogs in his mind turning. Watching him blankly was Zexion, wondering what the Chilly Academic could be thinking.

  
  
"You know, I, too, prefer to be as thorough as possible, but don't you think we sh-"

  
"SILENCE, ZEXION!" Vexen barked, not moving his eyes from the papers. Zexion sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he shook his head.

 

"I just don't understand why you won't try my suggestion... Vexen"  the younger male glanced up as he spoke, his expression showing what seemed to be annoyance.

 

"How dare _YOU_ try to boss _ME_ around! I'm Number IV! You're Number VI! That is no way to speak to your superiors, young man! Know your place!" Vexen squawked, his green eyes seeming to almost protrude from their sockets. For someone who apparently lacked a heart, thus lacking emotions, he sure was easily angered by such minuscule things.

 

"All right. I'll leave you to it, _Number IV._ I'll see what else the Superior needs to be done. Good day, Vexen." Zexion vowed as he summoned a portal, leaving the Academic alone to study the notes once again.

 

Vexen looked back to the notes, his face twisting into odd expressions once more as he examined what he and Zexion wrote. "Absurd.." he grumbled to himself, tossing the papers down on the desk before burying his face into his hands. He wasn't giving up, but rather letting his mind rest for a minute or so. It couldn't hurt to recollect his thoughts before continuing to ponder what his next steps might be.  
  
Suddenly, Vexen sees movement out the corner of his eye. He turns, expecting to see someone, maybe Zexion returning, but he saw... Nothing. Quirking a brow, he hummed, as he _knew_ he saw something. Perhaps, he was overdoing his thinking and he was seeing things. It's happened before, Vexen becoming hyper-focused on his experiments to the point that he slowly drives himself mad. Perhaps he was doing it again... until he saw movement again, whipping his head to see... absolutely nothing. Again. Knitting his brows and clenching his teeth, he groaned, thinking he may have figured out what was up. Someone, most likely Xigbar, Demyx, or Axel, was attempting to rile him up with some sort of prank. It wasn't abnormal for certain members of the Organization to mess with Vexen, ironically causing the Chilly Academic's temper to become hot.  
  
  
  
"Very funny. Whoever is there, you can come out. Now is not the time for games!" Vexen demanded, his bright green orbs scanning the room. No response. No one laughed or appeared before him. Was he really imagining it, or was the prankster just not giving up? All of a sudden, Vexen heard a noise from behind him, looking behind him to see nobody was there. This made him believe that the prankster was likely Xigbar using his spatial distortion ability to mess with Vexen. The Freeshooter was fond of using his abilities to prank the other members of the Organization, and Vexen was a prime target since his reactions could be rather explosive. Aggravated, he slammed his hands on the desk as he stood up, now shouting. "XIGBAR! I know it's you! Come out this instant!" The scientist's eyes were wide as he waited for Xigbar to appear from wherever he was hiding, wearing his signature smirk. However, Xigbar never appeared, nor was he anywhere to be seen. Before Vexen could yell again, he saw movement across the room near a shelf. Growling, he stomped over to the shelf, wasting no time to look and see who was messing with him. What he saw, though, was a shocking sight.

 

Not Xigbar.

 

Not Axel.

 

Not Demyx.

 

In fact, it wasn't even one of the residents of The Castle That Never Was. It wasn't any of the other Nobodies that could be found in The World That Never Was. It wasn't... anyone. In front of him, floating in midair was none other than the white lab coat he wore in his former life. Many hours he'd spend, conducting experiments, taking notes, the usual all in that very coat. He knew it was his by some of the familiar stains and markings on the coat. It hadn't aged well, just like the scientist himself, it had been through some shit, but Vexen was still able to recognize his beloved lab coat. Rubbing his eyes, he blinked a few times. Not imagining it... his coat was there, in the flesh... er.. fabric. Floating. No strings attached, no one manipulating it. Gulping, Vexen finally spoke, his voice shaky.

 

"H-how-" he began, but the coat brought it's ragged sleeve to his mouth, emitting what sounded to be a 'shhhh' noise. Vexen's eyes widened, the wrinkles on his face becoming more visible.

 

"Even... It's really you... I looked all over for you." a voice said. The voice belonged to the coat. Impossible! Coats don't talk! Vexen backed away, examining his surroundings again to be absolutely sure no one was behind this. The coat floated toward him, bringing a sleeve up to gently caress his cheek.

 

"It's... Vexen now.. How are you here... speaking to me?" Vexen asked, facial expressions wild as ever. The coat chuckled, bringing the sleeves up to where a face would be.

 

"Ah, about that.. You see, when you left Radiant Garden, I was due for a washing.. but you never returned. It made me feel very sad and neglected. Eventually, the overwhelming emotions I felt about your departure gave me the will to live. And once I was alive, I searched for you. I traversed many worlds to find you. I wanted to feel your skin against my stitches again, and have your hair tickle all of my fibers. I was afraid to find you for a while, though.. because you didn't wash me before you left. So  I felt dirty and unworthy." the coat explained, emotion apparent in it's voice. Vexen listened, the cogs in his brain turning once again. While the whole situation at hand was strange, there was one question tugging at his mind. How did his coat have a heart... yet he didn't? Interesting.

 

"I do apologize.. It was unfortunate, but I had no choice in the matter. I was going to wash you, I swear." Vexen apologized, his voice softer and more tender than usual. The coat turned away, crossing it's sleeves.

 

"Ev-Vexen.. I want you to wash me. For old time's sake.  I've spent years being dirty, and only becoming more dirty as I searched endlessly for you. No one else offered to wash me, and I can't wash myself, it isn't the same!" the coat whined. Vexen sighed as he placed a gloved hand on the fabric's shoulder. It wasn't lying, it was absolutely soiled. The foul scent of the coat scratched at his nostrils, and he had to back away as he failed to hold back a cough.

 

"Sorry, I swallowed wrong." he lied, fanning the air  quickly, hoping the coat wouldn't notice. Apparently, it did notice, though.

 

"Liar! You can't stand me anymore! You used me and left me to hang around, collecting dust while you.. got a new coat!" it cried, slapping Vexen across the face with a stinky sleeve. Vexens face smushed into an expression or anger and hurt.

 

"HOW DARE YOU!!!" he shouted, wagging a finger at the nasty fabric in front of him. "Have you forgotten all that we have been through?! I could have never became the man I was without you! Look, I couldn't go back- it's a long story and I can't explain now! I have work to do! You can wait for me just a few more minutes, can't you?!" The coat sighed, facing him once again. For a moment, there was silence between Vexen and the coat. Vexen's gaze dropped to the floor as he turned to go back to his desk when the coat spoke again.

 

"Just promise you will wash me. Soon." Vexen stopped, looking back at the coat. A half smile pulled at his lips before he replied.

 

"Very well. I promise. Just let me finish up."

 

 

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Memories

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a mess. You're welcome. This chapter is kinda slow bc its gonna transition into the next part. Why? Because I apparently care too much about this crackfic.

After the reunion, Vexen's labcoat simply hung around the lab while Vexen finished up his work for the day. Unfortunately, he was not as productive as he had planned to be, but how could he focus and make progress after his former coat paid him a visit apparently having grown a heart after he lost his own. It was ironic and posed many questions in Vexen's mind, but now was not the time to dwell on his thoughts. He had some wrinkles to iron out, you could say... Figuratively and literally. Neatly, the scientist gathered the notes, organizing them and filing them accordingly. He and Zexion would likely be tasked to work on it tomorrow, so he wasn't too concerned with the lack of progress made. Letting out a deep breath, Vexen approached the coat, taking it by the sleeve.

 

"Come with me so I can wash you."  Vexen pulled the coat, which surprisingly didn't move. 

 

"I have another idea, actually. I thought about it while you were working." the coat giggled, its sleeve squeezing the middle-aged man's hand. Said man raised a brow, perplexed vy what the coat could mean. Before he could ask, the coat continued. "You look like you need to be washed yourself. Maybe we should.. I don't know.. Help each other out?" It suggested, the tone of its voice shifting. Vexen was sure that if the coat had a face, it would be turning pink, and it would be cute. The blonde man chuckled, scratching the back of his neck with his free hand. He didn't feel embarrassed... Or.. Did he? Nobodies apparently don't feel emotions, but Vexen was sure he felt  _something._ He clears his throat.

 

"That shall be fine.. It isn't as if you haven't seen me in all of my glory before. You  _were_ my coat that I wore every day." he replied with a weird grin on his face. The coat waved the sleeve that Vexen wasn't holding in excitement, seeming to bounce in it's place.

 

"You can tell me everything that's hapened!! I want to know everything, my dear!" the coat exclaimed. "Now, please wash me!"

 

__________________________________________

 

During their shower, Vexen explained everything. How he lost his heart, how yhe Organization was formed, what his role was, who the members were, their ultimate goal, everything. The coat listened intensely as Vexen told all, scrubbing every inch of the coat to make it come clean. It was oddly sensual, the way the wet fabric caressed him as he washed it. He couldn't help but be slightly aroused, especially when he saw the buttons glisten at him. Despite the odd "feelings" Vexen "felt", he kept his cool in the hot shower. That was... Until the coat begged Vexen to wash it harder, to which he obeyed. The coat made weird noises that Vexen thought were noises of satisfaction, but he wasn't sure. He just went with it.

 

After they were clean and dry, he summoned a portal to his bedroom, wearing only a towel. He hung his cloak up, turning to see that his lab coat had already settled into his bed. For a moment, he paused, taking in the sight in front of him. The coat looked much better since he washed it, many of the stains were now gone, and the fabric was a much cleaner white, as opposed to dingy with weird patches of gross discoloration. The coat was still clearly worn, but still beautiful, especially laying there in the light that shone from the heart-shaped moon outside his window. The coat almost looked as if it was glowing, much like the moon itself. It was alluring, and Vexen found himself lost for words. How could a coat have this effect on him, especially after so much time had passed?

 

"Come on, Vexy. I want to cuddle with my big spoon." The coat begged, beckoning him with it's sleeve. A smirk pulled at the man's lips as he dropped his towel, climbing into the bed and pulling the coat close to his bare chest. He took a deep breath, the fresh scent of the fabric tickling his nostrils pleasantly as he held the fabric close to him. This was nice, he thought. The feeling of the cotton blend against his skin brought back so many memories and feelings from his past life in Radiant Garden, all of which were so clear and vivid like the land itself. He remembered the pleasant smell of the flowers throughout the town, the warm colors of the buildings, the sound of the residents around town wandering about. It was beautiful, and, for a moment, Vexen felt whole again. A single, glistening tear rolled down his cheek, falling onto the coat.

 

"Oh heavens, sorry abou-"

 

"Shhhh its ok" the coat interjected, wiping his eyes with it's sleeves. "You've been through a lot. It's ok. I understand." The coat nuzzled him, whispering soft affirmations to the man while making cute noises. The soft speaking and incoherent noises eventually helped the chilly academic slowly drift off to sleep. The coat, however, couldn't sleep, and so it decided to carefully float out of bed and do a little bit of exploring on it's own.

 

After all... What could go wrong?


	3. How DARE you?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the delay. Hope you enjoy! This is a dialogue-heavy chapter. Writing Larxene was a ton of fun honestly, because she's so brutal and hates everything.

A few days had passed since Vexen reunited with his former lab coat, and honestly, it was as if they had never spent any time apart. Granted, back in those days the coat wasn't sentient, at least not to Vexen's knowledge. Though.. could it have been sentient? It has memories of the past, so there had to be _something_ there. Perhaps it was simply aware back then, but not fully alive. Maybe even it was simply not whole, just as Vexen is not whole. Regardless of what the case may be didn't matter. All that mattered was they were reunited.

  
And it feels so good.

  
  
At least as good as it _could_ feel considering the fact that Vexen lacks a heart to feel.. or so he thinks. It's odd, but he found himself seeming to feel emotions like he used to since the coat came back into his life. Many of his fellow organization members would shoot down the notion that any of them could feel, though, so the scientist dared not to utter a word about his emotions to any of them. Instead, he repressed his emotions, much to the annoyance of his coat. His lab coat, being non-confrontational, usually just tolerated Vexen's refusal to show much emotion, opting to just wait it out patiently... for Vexen would eventually come around.. right? Sometimes he did when his work for the day was over and he and the coat were alone. But any other time? The man lived up to his title, being very cold to the lab coat, sometimes bitterly so. The coat didn't like this at all. It thought Vexen would be as soft and emotional as he was the first day they spoke to each other.

  
  
Luckily for the coat, it didn't have to pent up all of it's frustration. At times, it would converse with other members of The Organization. The coat was shocked that most of them didn't find the concept of a talking article of clothing absurd or strange, though that was likely a combination of the lack of hearts and experiencing far stranger things. The only member that had any sort of reaction was Demyx, who screamed at the coat, stuttering as he asked Zexion if this was some weird illusion or one of Vexen's experiments. The coat found the Nocturne amusing and fun to talk to. More fun than Vexen. Demyx made the coat question if all Nobodies do truly lack hearts, as he seemed to clearly show emotion. Demyx himself even believes that he has a heart because of his emotions.

 

Another member who seemed to show emotion was Larxene. The coat noticed she didn't get along with most of the other members, but the coat liked Larxene. It could confide in Larxene and expect a quick, snarky response which always made the two of them laugh. Larxene wasn't particularly fond of Vexen, in fact the two of them appeared to hate each other. Neither one had a single kind word for the other. It was probably a bad idea for the coat to vent to Larxene knowing how strongly she loathed Vexen, but it felt good to blow off the steam and laugh at Larxene's smart remarks. Sure, sometimes she could fly off the handle and let out some venomous execrations, but she disliked the man too much to approach him.

 

Speaking of the Nymph.

 

"So, is the bag of bones still being an insufferable idiot?" Larxene asks as she waltzes through a Corridor of Darkness.

 

"You could say that... he told me he couldn't work with me _breathing down his neck_ " the coat responds with a sigh, crossing it's sleeves. Larxene scoffed, shaking her head as she was disgusted by the man.

 

"Ugh! How STUPID can he be? You're a coat, can you even BREATHE?! That decrepit old hag walks around thinking he's _so_ smart and _so_ above us because **_he's number IV!_** " she ranted, mocking the Chilly Academic's voice and mannerisms, "Yeah, you're number four! Good job, you can count to four, Vexen! What do you want, a cookie?"

 

"Speaking ill of your superiors again, Number XII?"

 

Larxene and the coat turned to see none other than the man himself step in from a Corridor of Darkness, his green eyes almost as electrifying as the Savage Nymph herself. She merely laughed at the man, not at all threatened or worried.

 

"Oh, look what the cat dragged in! And just in time, things were getting a little boring around here." she snickers impishly, absolutely ready to press all of Vexen's buttons for her own amusement.

 

"Oh, is that so? Then perhaps you should go find Xemnas to give you some work, hm?"

 

"Like you should talk. What have you done lately? Sit around in your little lab yelling at your lackeys and clothes? How is that replica program going? Oh? Still no progress? It's a shame he won't just turn you into a Dusk already. One less eyesore around this joint." Larxene pestered, her smirk growing as she saw Vexen's patience wearing thin. She took great pleasure in pestering him, even if it took no work whatsoever.

 

"HOW DARE YOU SPEAK TO YOUR SUPERIORS THIS WAY! I will not tolerate this from the likes of you!" he shouted, his face instantly going red as his eye twitched. Larxene cackled at this.

 

"Oh, this is just too good!" the Nymph cheered, continuing to laugh at the man's exaggerated expression.

 

"Coat, let's go." he demanded, grabbing it's sleeve, though the coat pulled away.

 

"Maybe later, Vexy.."

 

"EXCUSE M-"

 

"Wow, even your own clothes don't want to deal with you! I would say I'm surprised.. but I'm not! I feel for them, you smell like old, expired oatmeal, I can't imagine being in such close contact with you all the time!" Larxene chimed in. Vexen growled, shooting a glare at both Larxene and the coat as he summons a Corridor.

 

"Fine. Have it your way! If you change your mind, you know where to find me, coaty." and with that, he stepped into the Corridor, which disappeared as soon as he did so. Larxene was still laughing, but the coat couldn't. On one hand, Larxene's jabs were spectacular, as always, but the coat  didn't want to hurt Vexen. After all, who else would wash it? And if they did, would it even be the same? After a few moments pass, Larxene had collected herself, taking note of the coat's body language. It wasn't happy, and though she lacked such feelings, she could still pick up on other's emotions.

 

"Lighten up. There's better options than that loser. A bag of rotting garbage would be better than him!"

 

The coat sighed in response, turning to Larxene silently with its sleeves crossed. Maybe there were better options, but no other being would have the same connection with the coat than that very man. They had shared so much together, and the coat would hate for all of that to go to waste. All the memories, all the trouble of finding him... but at the same time, could there be someone.. or _something_ else that would treat it better?

 

"Maybe I should go check on him..." it mumbled timidly, to which Larxene shook her head.

 

"Whatever. It's your life, not mine. If anything juicy happens, though..." she winks at the coat, and the coat "nodded" in response before retreating to Vexen's lab. The man was hovered over a table, examining something under a microscope. By his posture, the coat could tell he was still heated, so it was best to approach with caution. Gulping, it floated over to him, wrapping it's sleeves around him from behind. Startled, Vexen jumped, which knocked a test tube off of the table, shattering when it hit the ground. The scientist groaned and the coat pulled away, now nervous as it had angered him even more.

 

"Couldn't you have knocked?!" he cried, clenching his fists.

 

"Actually.. I couldn't- I'm just fabr-"

 

"Hush! Not another word from you! You expect me to accept your affection after you spoke ill words of me with that _tramp_!" he interrupted, spitting the last word with so much venom, you would think his attribute was poison, not ice.

 

"She's not a tramp.. and I didn't say anything, it was all her." The coat explained calmly, hoping it could diffuse the man's anger.

 

"Why should I believe you? Rumor has it she and another are traitors. Perhaps she's worked her... _charm_ on you. You sure were eager to stay with her just a few minutes ago."

 

"Vexy.. I have no idea what you're even talking about. I was just listening to her talk, really! I would never say anything bad about you! You have to believe me!" the coat pleaded, knowing if it had eyes at this very moment, they would be fighting tears.

 

"And why should I? After all, I'm stupid, aren't I?" the lab coat was taken aback. His voice was cold, and his stare was far more icy than any world the coat had previously traversed, sending a chill throughout it's threads and buttons. Silence filled the room, how could the coat respond? It seemed like no matter what it said, Vexen wouldn't listen; The man was so ridiculously stubborn. Before the coat could speak, Vexen turned away, pointing toward the door. "Leave." The coat gasped, it's voice breaking.

 

"B-but-"

 

"NOW!" the Chilly Academic squawked, the sound of his shrill voice reverberating throughout the room. The coat froze for a moment before bursting into crying, unable to produce tears due to the lack of eyes. The coat floated to a bathroom, slamming and locking the door before it sobbed in the shower. It cried for what seemed to be hours until it could no longer cry. The coat shut off the shower, twisting itself to wring itself dry before exiting the bathroom. It still wasn't ready to face Vexen, so it wandered through the castle to find someone else to spend the night with, not really having a preference as to who that might be. As it wandered, it noticed one of the bathroom doors ajar with steam coming from within. The coat was going to shut the door until it heard a familiar voice mumbling to himself.

 

_It was Vexen._

 

The coat peeked into the bathroom, seeing his black cloak hanging on a rack, but unable to see the man himself. It lingered there for a few moments staring intently at the black cloak. Something seemed.. off, but the lab coat figured it was just its emotions getting to it. The coat shook itself out, making a _fwoosh_ sound.

 

All it needed was some rest. Things would go back to normal.


	4. Caught!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow what a twist

Vexen awoke the next morning, realizing his lab coat had never joined him. He searched the castle for the coat, wanting to apologize for his despicable behavior. Truthfully, he felt guilty, or at least he  _remembered_ distinctly what guilt felt like. Yet, his search was fruitless. With the castle being as large as it is and the coat likely purposely avoiding him (and able to squeeze into smaller places to hide), it didn't come as much of a surprise. Vexen wished he had acted more kindly toward the coat, but once again, his short fuse was lit and he quickly flew off the handle.

 

Typical for Vexen.

 

He got out of bed, knowing that he and his coat would likely make up soon. Better to let it be for thd time being so he can focus on his work for the day. After all, if he didn't make progress on the replica program, he could be turned into a dusk... and who wants to be one of those strange, weak, uncanny creatures? While not much fazed Vexen, he had to admit that those  _creatures_ gave him the heebie jeebies. Dragging his feet, he stretched his arms as he sulked over to the closet he kept his cloak in. Cracking his neck, he reached for the door, long, bony fingers gripping the knob and pulled it open. To his surprise, the cloak wasn't in there. Vexen's face went sour; lips puckered as if he had ate a lemon; nose scrunched as if the most foul odor teased his nosehairs; brows knitted together as his eyes squinted as if that would somehow clear his vision and he would see the cloak that was _clearly_ there.

 

But it wasn't there.

 

Something was fishy. He knew he put his cloak away. He always did. Vexen clearly recalls hanging up the cloak, brushing off a stray ball of lint off the sleeve.

 

"Preposterous.." He grumbled to himself, wondering which Nobody likely pranked him. He placed his bets in Larxene, seeing as thry had a tiff the previous day. Though, Larxene was not one to dirty her own hands with a prank often, choosing to prank by proxy in case her plans go awry. That way, the blame could be placed on someone else. But who would she recruit for her sick prank? Vexen lets out an exasperated groan before stomping toward the door, ready to whip the door open and give whoever he saw an earful. That was until he used his brain for a second. He couldn't do that.

 

_Not in the nude._

 

How was he supposed to do anything without any clothes? The scientist knew no one wanted to be subject to his nude body. Let's face it.. He was no Xemnas or Marluxia. He was old and saggy, he knew if anyone sae him, he would be subject to mockery from his fellow Nobodies.

 

His eyes scanned the room, settling on the sheets on his bed. That was really his only option. His room was basically empty, only having the basics he needed. The sheet made the most logical sense. And Vexen was  _not_ going out naked or staying confined to his room until his cloak was returned.  So he had to make do with what he had. Pulling the sheet from his bed, he wrapped it around himself, making sure he was covered well and that the sheet was secure enough to not slip off. After all, that could be disasterous. The blonde tugged at the sheet, making sure it couldn't be so easily pulled off of him. Knowing the pranksters that lurk the castle seem to lack boundaries, he had to play it as safe as possible. Once he was as confident as he could possibly be with his makeshift clothing, he exited the room, immediately bumping into Axel.

 

"Hey, watch it, No. VIII!" Vexen exclaimed, crossing his arms over his chest to protect the thin cloth that was covering his body. Axel briefly examined the man, raising a brow.

 

"Um. What's with the toga?" Axel questioned, reaching out to touch it only to have his hand smacked away by the older male.

 

"It isn't a toga, you fool! Somebody has taken my cloak and once I find out who did it, there will be a great price to pay!" Vexen kept one arm across his chest while the other poked at Axel's chest with each word he emphasized. Axel rolled his eyes with a nonchalant chuckle. He knew Vexen didn't stand a chance against.. Well, any of the other organization members, but he wouldn't say it out loud. At least not at the moment. He wasn't feeling any desire to pick on The Chilly Academic for now.

 

"Well, good luck with that." Axel walked away, waving over his shoulder as he did so, "I have to get going on my mission for the day." Once the redhead was gone, Vexen hobbled away, not entirely sure of where to search first. The Castle That Never Was was vast, his cloak could be anywhere. Raising an arm, he opened a Corridor and stepped in it, arriving on the Hall of Empty Melodies first.

 

Empty.

 

Not a cloak, coat, or Nobody in sight. 

 

Next, he tried the Grey Area. Again. Nothing. Nobody... As in not a single Nobody.

 

This continued for a few more areas of the castle that Vexen figured the potential culprits could be occupying. Finally, he opened a Corridor and entered his lab. It looked empty, but he heard something. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but it was a distinct  _foof-foof_ sound. The blonde boffin stood there, focusing on the sound and where it was coming from. As soundless as possible, he tip toed toward a closet, holding his breath once he was just inches from the closet. The elderly man didn't hesitste to fling the door open, green eyes bulging at the sight in front of him. He was sure his jaw had hit the floor right at that very moment. His hands trembled and he couldn't feel his legs.

 

Just inches from him was his coat, the slick black fabric of the sleeves embracing the soft, white lab coat he had a quarrel with the previous day. The man rubbed his eyes, leaning his face closer to the articles of clothing as if to confirm it was real.

 

"Wh-"

 

"It isn't what it looks like!" The lab coat cried, floating out of the closet. The cloak stayed put, crossing it's sleeves over it's chest silently. Vexen was absolutely vexed. His cloak was eloping with his former lab coat? Was it coaxed ir did it do this by it's own free will. And since when was the cloak alive? Though that didn't shock Vexen much given the whole lab coat ordeal.

 

"I- HOW DARE YOU! Do you not realize the time?!" Vexen shouted, raising his arms up as he yelled. The lab coat moved back a little, seeming to be startled by his tone.

 

"Well uh.. It's always dark in this world, and theres no clocks that I -"

 

"SILENCE!" Vexen barked, crouching so he was eye-level with the lab coat, "I'll hear no more from you! There is work to be done and I have no time to argue!" Vexen immediately turned away from the lab coat to face the cloak, who had emerged from the closet and floated near the scientist. Vexen held out his hand. "Cloak."

 

"No." A deep voice came from the dark fabric, and Vexen gasped. The cloak sounded similarly to his superior, but the voice was almost  _deeper,_ and with more emotion.

 

"Excuse me?"

 

"You heard me, old man. I'm not your little bitch. You can't push me around like you can with your lab coat." The fabric jabbed at the man's chest, as if it were trying to be threatening.

 

"Pushing?! I'm not pushing anything! I demand you get on my body this instant!"

 

"Make me" the cloak challenged. Vexen growled, immediately making a move to snatch the cloak, but it quickly floated away. "Too slow!" It teased, floating its way out if the lab.

 

"HEY, get back here immediately! I don't have time for these foolish games!" The academic ran after the coat, holding the sheet over his wiry body as he ran.

 

"Who says this is a game, geezer?" The cloak bellowed, ascending toward the ceiling. Vexen stopped, clenching his teeth and balling his fist, shaking it up at the cloak. His voice became higher than usual.

 

"GET DOWN HERE! You need to get on my body, I cannot work in a bedsheet!"

 

"What's all the ruckus?" asked a familiar voice, causing Vexen to turn around.

 

"Xigbar! Oh thank goodness! I need your help!" Vexen's green eyes met the Freeshooter's single golden eye. The rogue man smirked devilishly, snickering.

 

"Oh, do ya?" He sneered, his tone dripping with smug amusement. Typical Xigbar.

 

"Yes, I do. I need you to use your anti-gravity powers to get on the ceiling and grab my cloak! It won't come down! You'll do that for me, right? We're frie ds, after all!" The Chilly Academic forced a smile, not knowing what to expect from Xigbar. Xigbar looked to the ceiling curiously, seeing the cloak floating up there, then met Vexen's gaze once again.

 

"It seems like you're really in a pickle, huh? What's in it for me?" Xigbar asked, his signature mischievous grin on his face. Vexen grunted. Of course Xigbar had to turn his problem into some sort of sick joke. Vexen got on his knees, clasping his hands together and shook then at the Freeshooter.

 

"Please, Xigbar, PLEASE! I don't ask much of you!" Vexen begged, his desperation made obvious by his tone. "I know I can be impatient and perhaps.. Rude, but I'll be so gratuitous if you do this for me!" Xigbar raised a brow, his expression showing both amusement and confusion. He was well aware of how extra and dramatic the blonde could be, but he never expected him to full on beg. He almost felt bad for the man.

 

_Almost._

 

The salt-and-pepper haired man let out a chuckle, glancing up at the cloak once again.

 

"Not my monkeys, nit my circus." He replied. Vexen gasped.

 

_"XIGBAR P-"_

 

"Sorry. I have to report back to Xemnas. Maybe try again later." Xigbar teleported away, causing Vexen to scream out of frustrstion.

 

Now what would he do?


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reconciliation? That's what Vexen thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had many ideas of how this could go.

Eventually, Vexen's cloak came down from the ceiling and the two formed a... treaty of sorts. They agreed to tolerate each other, as they had before, and the Cloak would keep it's sleeves to itself. After all, there were many other cloaks in the castle, it didn't need to take Vexen's coat from him. The cloak obliged, figuring Vexen had nothing else going for him. Unlike Vexen, the cloak had good looks, a deep and seductive voice, a way with words, and more stable emotions. Ironically, the cloak had less emotional outburst than the apparently "heart-less" nobody. The cloak assumed it was because Vexen is a nobody in two ways. You make of that what you will.

 

After a long day of cloning himself and screaming at Zexion and being sassed by the aforementioned young man, Vexen retreated to his room, stuffing the cloak in a closet and locking it for safe measures. He was going to check the bed for the Labcoat, only finding a note left behind by the coat. For a few seconds, he pondered how his coat could hold any tool to write, but dismissed it. Stranger things have happened. Much stranger things. And Vexen was certain that even more peculiar things were on the horizon.

 

_Meet me at Radiant Garden's town square. It is restored, and beautiful as ever. You must see it._

 

Restored? He had heard of a restoration committee in passing, but figured it was out of context. If there even was a restoration committee, how could they rebuild what he had basically destroyed? As far as he knew, Radiant Garden was toast; the last time he had been there, it was a disastrous abyss of it's former glory. Chunks of land seemed to float midair, the castle was in disrepair and nearly unrecognizable, gone were the beautiful, bright colors of the buildings and flowers. The only "living" things there were the heartless, which there was an overabundance of. They were incredibly strong as well, though to Vexen, anything is strong. When Vexen had visited his former home at that time, his cheeks grew wet with tears, "feeling" guilt and a sense of homesickness. The wetness of his cheeks soon matched the wetness of his pants when he saw a large, vicious heartless with a shield slowly approaching him. (Yes, he soiled himself.) Ever since that horrific encounter, he never returned.

 

Until now.

 

Vexen emerged from the corridor, looking around the town square. It was almost as if nothing changed. The buildings, while not fully repaired, were pretty close to what they formerly were. The brick pavement was as immaculate as ever; it must have taken them forever to lay the bricks so beautifully. The smell of flowers tickled his nose, bringing him a sense of nostalgia. The colors of everything were close to what he remembered. Oh, how he missed this vibrant town...

 

This beautiful place that he destroyed.

 

"Vexen?"

 

The blonde turned around, seeing his beautiful Labcoat floating in midair, as usual. It looked shockingly... _radiant_ on this fine day. He wasn't sure what it was, but the white fabric seemed brighter, almost as if it were "glowing" in some way. He could tell that the labcoat had used a different fabric softener, smelling of Ocean Breeze rather than Fresh Scent.

 

"Labcoat." Vexen smiled.

 

"I'm so glad you came! I wanted you to see how much has been fixed since you left! It's beautiful, right?" The coat draped it's sleeve over his shoulder, it's other sleeve moving in a sweeping motion as it swooned over their homeplace.

 

"It is. Almost as if I had never left." he started, his eyes dropping to the brick pavement, "If only things had been different."

 

"You cannot change the past... but you can make a better future. _We_ can make a better future, Vexy." The Labcoat cupped Vexen's face, pressing it's fabric against his lips in a kiss of some sort. Vexen kissed back.

 

"Here? I'm not sure I can come back.. not yet." he sighed, looking up at the sky. The sunset was absolutely breathtaking. "Is this why you have summoned me, Coat?"

 

"Ah, well.. Kind of. I'm not sure how to tell you this, so I guess I will just have to say it bluntly..." Labcoat's body language showed it was timid, afraid of what it was going to tell Vexen. Vexen patted it's shoulder.

 

"Do go on."

 

"I'm pregnant."

 

Vexen's eyes nearly exploded out of his skull, and his jaw dropped so low he felt a pop. Pregnant? Labcoat??  He had no idea how that was possible, but Vexen had no care, he was elated! He would finally have children of his own! Maybe all of his errors he made in life would finally pay off. He could not wait to tell Zexion of the news: He would be a big brother of some sort! Vexen grabbed the sleeves of the Labcoat, flinging it in the air, chasing after it in a panic when the wind carried it away.

 

\------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

A few weeks passed, and the Coat somehow looked bloated. He wasn't sure how exactly it worked, but it was an existing concept. Zexion seemed indifferent to the fact that he would be some sort of "older brother" to the Labcoat's baby. In fact, he made a snarky remark regarding Vexen's clones being Vexen's children, so he's used to fuckery. However, instead of a "HOW DARE YOU", Vexen was too excited about becoming a father to be annoyed at the Sassy Schemer.

 

How long do coats stay pregnant anyway? And how do they give birth? Both Vexen and the Labcoat had no idea, and no one else seemed to either. Go figure. Well, Vexen would soon find out.

 

Sooner than he thought.

 

"VEXY! I'M THREADING! MY SEAMS BROKE!" cried the labcoat, falling to the floor. Vexen panicked, picking up the coat and ran to his lab to set it on a bed. How was he supposed to do this?

 

"ZEXION!" Vexen called out, beads of sweat forming at his temples. A very disinterested Zexion walked over.

 

"Yes, Vexen?" Zexion's expression was vacant of any emotion.

 

"What do I do?! You're a scientist too, help me!"

 

"Well.. I don't understand how any of this is possible. In fact, I'm more amazed that your coat came to life and found you. If it were me, I would want to get away from you. You're rather obnoxious, and you basically ruined my life, but that is besides the point. I can't understand how you got a piece of fabric... _impregnanted_. The thought sickens me and this entire situation, as a whole, disgusts me. It isn't even intriguing in some twisted way. Maybe that is because you corrupted my mind and nothing causes any reaction anymore. I am far too young for this and far too.. bored. If I had a heart to FEEL bored! Thanks a lot, _Even!_ " with that, Zexion stormed off, seemingly angry.

 

"Teenagers. I miss when he was a boy. Much less attitude, much more respectful to his elders." he muttered before turning his attention back to the coat, who was cradling something in it's sleeves. Did the Labcoat seriously birth their child while Zexion attempted to put Vexen in his place? It did. Vexen was mildly upset that he missed the birth, but part of him was relieved he didn't have to see a fabric give birth.

 

"It's here." the Labcoat cooed, sounding as if it were crying. Vexen stroked it's soft sleeve.

 

"May I see our child?" Vexen asked, tears rolling down his cheeks. The coat held it's sleeves out, revealing....

 

A small, gray cloak. With a rather familiar accent of metal chains and beads. Vexen gritted his teeth, angrily unzipping his cloak and threw it on the ground.

 

"HOW _DARE_ YOU!" he screeched, his shrill voice causing a few glasses to break in the distance. He could feel the heat in his face, The Chilly Academic quickly became The Scorching Fool. His Labcoat, the only one who made him feel whole since becoming empty, the only one who respected him, the only one who seemed to understand him, lied to him and kept having relations with his Cloak. He stood there, butt naked, glaring at the Labcoat and the Cloak.

 

"I can explain! It's not what it looks like!" Labcoat set the mini Labcloak down so it could try to console Vexen, but Vexen pushed it away.

 

"I will hear NO MORE from you!"

 

The Cloak floated up, "punching" it's "hand". "That's no way to treat a delicate Labcoat. I'm gonna fuck your shit up."

 

"You're a piece of flimsy leather! _You_ think you can take _me_?!" questioned Vexen, summoning his shield, Frozen Pride.

 

"As if." Xigbar walked along the wall, doing a flip as he jumped between the Cloak and Vexen.

 

"Step aside, Xigbar! I must handle this myself!" Vexen's eye twitched.

 

"Easy there, Freezer Burn. You know you're weak as shit." Xigbar turned to the Cloak, summoning his arrowguns with a smirk. "Use your Frozen Pride to hide your Naked Shame. I'll take care of this."

 

"You will NOT! As you always say: Not your monkeys, not your circus! These aren't your clothes and this is not your closet!" Vexen shouted.

 

"Clever lil sneak. That was a good line. chuckled Xigbar, shaking his head. "I'll just have you know that Vexen's Cloak isn't the father."

 

"What?" said everyone else in unison. Vexen dropped his shield, losing feeling in his entire body. Xigbar took off his own cloak.

 

"Tell 'em." Xigbae commanded.

 

Xigbar's Cloak crossed it's sleeves. "It is me who is the father. The proof is in the shoulders." it stated coolly. Everyone turned to look at the gray Labcloak, noticing the lightly padded shoulders. It wasn't padded enough to be Demyx's Cloak's offspring, but it matched Xigbar's Cloak perfectly. Vexen grew even more furious, more than he has ever been. He marched over to his Labcoat, lip twitching as he growled, clearly having gone feral.

 

"You listen here and you listen well. I never want to see you again! Ever! You betrayed me!" Tears welled up in Vexen's eyes. "How DARE you cheat with, not only MY Cloak, but Xigbar's Cloak! Xigbar is... nasty! I can only imagine what he does in that Cloak! And here you are.... Fluffing every fabric possible! How DARE you?! How COULD you?! I washed you! I hung you to dry, I knew you would shrink in the dryer! I softened you! I ironed you! I used the lint roller on you! I did everything for you so you were pristine! And this is how you pay me back?!" Vexen sobbed, angrily swiping his tears.

 

"I'm sorry." Labcoat sighed. "Perhaps we were not meant to be. You're a human- well- you _were_. Now you're a _nobody._ We're too different. Maybe I should have seen it sooner. This was doomed from the start."

 

"That's all you have to say!? I meant NOTHING to you, did I?! I cannot believe that you have nothing mor- you have noth- nothing m- HOW DARE YOU! Please! Cease! Leave my sight! Go on! Get lost!" Vexen shouted between sobs, falling to the floor dramatically. The Coat, along with it's Labcloak fled the scene.

 

"Call me!" called Xigbar's Cloak.

 

"I will!" the Labcoat called back, before disappearing. Xigbar clicked his tongue. He would comfort Vexen, but...

 

"Not my monkey. Not my circus." He floated to the ceiling to make his exit. All that was left was Vexen and his Cloak.

 

"Yo, chin up, dude." his Cloak said, covering him. "Labcoat played both of us. We're cool again."

 

Vexen wiped his tears on the Cloak, unable to speak anymore. All he wanted to do was sleep.  And he did. Right there on the floor.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

He awoke the next morning in the lab, on the bed. Zexion was standing there.

 

"Zexion, I a-"

 

"Silence, Vexen. We will never speak of what happened. Do you understand?"

 

"I-"

 

"It is a yes or no question, Vexen. If you have any braincells left, you will understand that." Zexion narrowed his eyes.

 

"Yes."

 

 

And that's exactly what they did. Never spoke of it again.


End file.
